Important Info
What Should You Bring to Camp?
Each season, we update our session packing lists with required items, optional items, and expert tips. Please see our packing list located on our website: www.genevaglen.org/packing
Helpful Packing Tips
- Dress warm! Campers experience at least one overnight and Colorado nights can be chilly!
- Clearly identify your child’s clothing with their name.
- Do not bring expensive items – they are inappropriate for camp. Camp is for personal relationships, individual growth and experiencing nature.
- Campers are not allowed to have cell phones at camp. A camper should only bring a cell phone if flying in from out-of-state. Cell phones will be kept in the camp safe.
- Closed toed shoes are required with Geneva Glen’s rocky, steep terrain.
Our policies prohibit any prescription medication or any kind of over-the-counter medication that is not checked in with our camp medical staff. Other items not allowed include drugs, tobacco of any kind (i.e. nicotine, electronic cigarettes, vaping, etc.), alcohol, marijuana, fireworks, matches, lighters, personal safety gear (i.e. helmets, climbing gear, etc.), gum, vehicles (including boards, bikes, scooters), and weapons of any variety. Please contact camp if your camper wants to bring any personal sports equipment (i.e. archery bows, bats, baseball gloves, lacrosse sticks, etc.)
View or download our packing listCheck-In
Checking in to Geneva Glen is an exciting, sometimes scary, time for campers. They may not have slept well the night before if they’re new to camp, and their excitement makes for nervous stomachs and anxious questions. If they are veterans, they are tremendously impatient to get to their dorm or cabin, reunite with camp buddies and meet the counselors!
In the weeks leading up to camp, we will provide instructions specific to your child’s session.
When you arrive at Geneva Glen, you will see our energetic Event Staff on the road directing you where to go. Check-In days are jam-packed, and we appreciate your patience throughout the process. Check-In will include the following:
Paperwork
- Release Form (Licensing Requirement)
- Verify and collect any missing Camp-In-Touch Paperwork
Health Services
The Geneva Glen Health Services team will review the Health Form, answer your specific questions and medical concerns, and record all medications to be administered to your camper and safely store them at the Health Center. Our Health and Wellness Coordinator or one of our camp physicians is at this station to provide health screening and take special instructions about your camper’s needs.
Housing
This is the most fun and the most anticipated! Campers meet their counselors and they are assigned to their living groups in accordance with grade level. WE TRY to accommodate requests for buddies to be bunked together; however, we will not place more than two friends in the same living group.
Sportwear Sales
Geneva Glen’s boutique offers camp-friendly fashions that are high quality and an excellent value! Our sportswear sales representatives often are members of our Board, volunteers, and alumni.
May We Help You?
When you arrive at camp, you will likely see some of our “ambassadors” (members of the camp Board of Directors or Alumni) who will be on hand to greet you and answer any of your questions about camp or direct you during the Check-In process.
Housing
North Hill (boys) dorms house 16 campers and counselors, and South Hill (girls) cabins house 9-11 campers and counselors. Bunks are preselected by a lottery. Campers are housed according to how they identify and would be most comfortable. Please contact camp if your camper has any special circumstances requiring specific bunk placement. Our counselors are experts at welcoming and embracing campers into the group, and feelings of belonging quickly replace nervousness.
Pets at Check-In & Check-Out
We love dogs and understand that camp is fun for our furry friends; however, we do not allow pets at Check-In and Check-Out (no, not even if they are on a leash). You may leave your dog in the car, but please know that it does get hot inside vehicles even though we are in the mountains. Please abide by this policy and leave Fido at home.
Helpful Hints: Time to leave!
Parents are encouraged to meet the leaders, acquaint themselves with the counselor biographies, check out the accommodations (if possible), reassure their camper ... and leave! Parents who hang around too long can embarrass their camper and inhibit the normal interaction between kids and the get-acquainted activities of the group. Furthermore, if another camper in the cabin is feeling a little anxiety, the presence of a parent can intensify the onset of homesickness.
After Check-In, we meet for our welcome, introductions, and mini-orientation, including a presentation of various areas and glimpses of coming events. Then, you can feel the electricity as the campers catch the “Magic of the Glen!”
Homesickness
Homesickness is natural and may strike any age, but it’s generally not a problem. What works best is to keep our campers so busy having fun that they forget about their worries and home. During staff orientation, we conduct several sessions and specific role-playing exercises with the guidance of psychologists and other trained professionals in an effort to provide our leaders with professional tools to use with homesick campers. We do not take homesickness lightly and our experience indicates that phone calls to or from family members are not a remedy. If your camper does become homesick and it is serious or detrimental to the child’s camp experience, we will contact you. Campers enjoy receiving messages from home, and we encourage you to be positive and upbeat in your letters.
Most campers will feel homesick at some point during their stay at camp but will be able to get through it! This is totally normal! Read our homesickness page for a more in-depth discussion on this subject and helpful tips to prepare your child for camp.
Care Packages & Mail
Unfortunately, camp does not have a way to accommodate the storage of care packages safely. For the safety of our campers, staff, and local wildlife, care packages are not allowed. Mailed letters are a welcome way to stay in contact with your camper! There are several ways to remind your child that you are thinking of them. Here are a few suggestions:
- Pre-write letters, label them for the day to be opened, and place them in your child’s trunk. These are a welcomed surprise for your child!
- Send self-addressed stamped envelopes and cards for your child to write letters to family and friends.
- Place 2-3 goodie bags in your child’s trunk. Have them open the goodie bag on a selected day. This is a way to send goodies for the entire cabin/dorm (please remember not to include any food). Campers love receiving glow-in-the-dark necklaces, fairy wands, matching t-shirts, etc.
Part of your camper’s tuition includes two free snack items when scheduled for the store. We will also be offering additional single-serve snacks free of charge throughout your camper’s stay.
Normal U.S. mail should be addressed as follows:
Camper Name
Geneva Glen Camp
P.O. Box 248
Indian Hills, CO 80454
Health Services
Geneva Glen’s philosophy toward health care is derived from the first four letters of the word: HEAL. Our camp environment adds health to the individual rather than subtracting illness from an individual. Our mission addresses the protection and development of the whole child, and health and wellness is a component that helps sustain and promote our campers’ wholeness.
To learn more about our health services program see the Health Services Page.
Travel Information
Geneva Glen is happy to provide transportation for our out-of-state campers! Please make reservations for Denver International Airport (DIA) within these time frames (for two-week sessions):
- Arriving on SUNDAY between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm (For flights outside of that window, later is better)
- Departing on SATURDAY between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm
- For campers attending Seedlings & Stardust or Myths & Magic that need airport transportation, contact us (see below).
If you have to make arrangements outside of that time frame, please contact camp to discuss the best options. We will do our best to accommodate all flights, but we cannot guarantee staff availability for flights outside of the 11 am to 2 pm window.
Contact us at ggcamp@genevaglen.org with your flight reservations, and we’ll provide more detailed information regarding our airport run procedures. Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions!
Visits to Camp and Visiting Day
Because Geneva Glen’s regular sessions are only two weeks, a visiting day is not scheduled and visits to camp are not allowed. If your camper forgets something and you live a short drive away, please mail the forgotten item or contact camp.
If it’s an absolute necessity that you come to the camp, please call ahead and coordinate with our concierge. It is important that you be as invisible as you can and to leave as soon as possible! We don’t wish to make you feel unwelcome, but please understand that when a borderline homesick camper sees a parent or guardian, it can be a serious disruption to the camper’s experience and adversely affect others in the cabin group. Feel free to call and let us help you make appropriate arrangements ahead of time.
Off-Season Visits
Often we are asked if a family can come up and see the camp during the off-season. Unfortunately, we cannot provide camp tours during the off-season and instead offer the opportunity to see the camp during our annual Strawberry Pancake Breakfast in late May. During the Strawberry Pancake Breakfast, members of the camp’s Board of Directors, some GG staff, and the year-round team are on hand to serve breakfast to first-year camper families and provide a camp tour. This event helps families see the camp and hear about Geneva Glen’s unique history while meeting other parents, cabinmates, and camp family members.
Leaving Early and Coming Late
Geneva Glen packs the sessions with challenging opportunities, fellowship, ceremonies, and fun. Cabin groups bond immediately on the first day, and a camper who arrives late invariably will feel a period of alienation, which affects the entire cabin’s spirit. The planned activities, cabin morale, and emotional gatherings culminate in our last-day rituals. Our policy encourages a full stay at camp, and if sports schedules, drama tryouts, vacation plans, etc, interfere with a full-term stay, then we will try to arrange a change to another session.
It is against our policy to take your camper away from camp for a few hours. Doing so is very detrimental to the unity of the cabin group, and we STRONGLY recommend against such actions. We recognize the value of a complete, uninterrupted camp session. Emergencies can be accommodated, but the most satisfying and successful camp experience is one that is not interrupted by outside distractions.
Check-Out
Like Check-In, we will provide instructions specific to your child’s session.
Please anticipate that the process of checking out may take a little longer than you plan – there are a lot of goodbyes! We are giving out awards, singing songs, and saying goodbye. So PLEASE DO NOT PLAN TO ARRIVE EARLY FOR CHECK-OUT. During Check-Out, counselors will give you the Release Form you signed at Check-In, and this release needs to be signed by the responsible person at Check-Out. Also, please don’t forget to pick up any medications sent with your camper and sort through the lost & found and mail.
Lost of Found
It is essential to locate all of your camper’s belongings before leaving camp. A thorough collection of unclaimed items does not occur until after the end of summer. You can eliminate most lost & found woes by clearly identifying clothing and personal items with the camper’s name!
During the session, all lost & found articles are kept in a big box on the lower level of the lodge, and counselors and campers may check daily for missing articles. During Check-Out, we will direct parents and campers to lost & found items as possible. Unclaimed items are bagged and stored according to each session until after summer. When phone or email requests are sent in, we will attempt to match those requests to the item. Most of the time, we leave the item bagged, and families who live locally may arrange to pick it up. In September, we donate all unclaimed items to a local shelter, mission, or charity.
Please understand that processing lost & found is about the last thing we do! We admit we are not very good at it, and we thank you for your understanding and for doing everything possible to prevent it. We do everything we can to ensure that the camper goes home with all items brought to camp, but that’s just not going to happen in every case. We keep valuable items such as jewelry, cameras, keys, prescription glasses, etc., in the office, and we hold them for a year before disposal.
The Long Drive Home
So often, we hear from parents that their child was “wiped out” at the end of camp or that they didn’t talk very much about it on the way home. There’s no doubt campers may be tired that day because they probably were up later than usual the night before. There always is an adjustment back to the “real world” after camp, and there may be some things that you may not be able to see. Usually, the camper is dirty and tired – that’s all on the outside. What’s going on inside is what really matters, and sometimes it takes a while to hear about it. Remember that they’ve been very active for two weeks, and everyone in the camp community is immersed in the experience.
Typically, we stay up late on the last night of camp, so your camper may need a little sleep after returning home. It’s normal for your child not to talk about the camp experience; however, some campers chatter incessantly, and you can’t get a question in sideways! Keep in mind that it’s different for every child. The main thing to remember is that your child experienced a great deal and may not be able to articulate all of their feelings about camp. Just be there when they want to talk and encourage them to write to their counselors or cabinmates if they feel like it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if there is an emergency and I need to get a hold of my child?
The camp conceirge desk answers the phone throughout the day and evening and will provide assistance. After hours, the automated camp telephone system routes calls to different persons and locations, and indicates phone numbers and emergency numbers. In the highly unlikely event that cell phone service in addition to the phone service to Indian Hills is down, the most direct means of communicating an emergency is through the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Dept. The number is 303-277-0211. Your local 911 also can notify the Jefferson County Sheriff Department.
Can my camper be housed with a friend?
Camp is a perfect time for forging new friendships. We try to not bunk more than one pal with another. If three are together in such a small cabin group, it can be hard on the other kids in the cabin. We’ll try to accommodate your requests, but we will keep our limitation policy in mind when assigning housing.
What if my child is a picky eater?
The meals at camp are balanced and nutritious and are made with a child in mind. Our counselors are trained to be supportive of good eating habits and good table manners. Each camper eats at least ONE of every item from the plate, and our counselors model this behavior. No camper starves at Geneva Glen and options are always available (but not used as a substitute for food the camper simply doesn’t like).
Typical GG Menu:
- Breakfast – Scrambled eggs, cereal, sausage, bananas, and orange juice
- Lunch – Grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup, carrot and celery sticks, chocolate chip cookie
- Dinner – Grilled chicken, rice, steamed vegetables, ice cream
How do you handle bed-wetting? What if my child wears pull-ups?
Campers sleep in their own sleeping bags. If a camper wets the bed, the counselor is trained to be discreet and quiet about the incident and stifle any teasing from others in the group. Other kids are removed from the area while the camper and the counselor together take the bag to be dropped off for laundering. The camper will be provided another sleeping bag until it is returned. A child using pull-ups at camp is not uncommon. Campers using pull-ups are responsibile for disposing the pull-up in a plastic bag. Most will discretly change in their sleeping bag or in the bathroom.
Is Knighthood I a "prerequisite" for Knighthood II?
No – Knighthood always is a month and it is divided into a pair of two-week sessions. The names are for chronological reasons only. One is not a prerequisite of the other.
What's the difference between Knighthood I and Knighthood II?
Knighthood I unfolds the history of the Arthurian legends and the Round Table stories, by learning of Merlin. The culminating event of Knighthood I is "Merlin’s Masque," an all-day play that takes place in the Council Ring in three acts and dramatizes the book entitled The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart.
Knighthood II picks up where Knighthood I ends in the story line as Merlin ushers in the rise of King Arthur and the coming of Camelot. During Knighthood II, campers vote for a King, Queen, and Court of Camelot. The culminating event of Knighthood II is a day-long Pageant in six acts, performed by members of the Court. All cabin and dorm groups present a gift to the Court during the Pageant, in the form of music, drama, dance, or a tangible gift. Knighthood I and Knighthood II end with Ladies Court and Knights Induction, the ceremony with the most meaning during these two sessions.
Which session best suits my child?
Each of our theme programs are unique and distinctive. They date back to the early years of camp and serve a very individual purpose. Each theme offers a completely different expression and you may find one particular session best suits your camper.
Geneva Glen offers five themes through six sessions. Each session is cherished for its position in the camp’s heritage. Each theme focuses on a particular value that is unique and unequaled in residential summer camps. Contact camp for more information.
Can I sign up for next year?
Our application process opens each year in the Fall, usually during October.
When can parents come?
We receive many requests for “parents’ camp!” From time to time, we offer some family-oriented programming in the fall. Keep watching our emails for announcements about these programs. We do schedule a Family Camp every five years!
Does Geneva Glen offer scholarships?
Yes! The goal of providing tuition assistance and camperships to attend Geneva Glen Camp is to ensure that camp is accessible to all children through financial support generously donated by our Camp Family each year. Tuition assistance (partial tuition) and camperships (full tuition) are awarded to campers who might not otherwise be able to attend Geneva Glen.
Go to www.genevaglen.org/camperships for more information or to apply.
